Coimbatore

Leopards on prowl in Coimbatore outskirts

Coimbatore : Panic gripped in Medur village near Karamadai in the district, following straying of a leopard and eating away four goats from a house in the early hours of today. The animal entered the shed where 10 goats were reared by Rengammal and killed four of them, which was noticed by those in the house early this morning, police said.

This is the second such incident in the vicinity, as 10 goats were killed some 20 days ago, following which the villagers had appealed to the forest department to find a solution by laying a trap.

Villagers in and around Karamadai and nearby Mettupalayam area, some 40km from here, also facing the problem of wild elephants straying frequently into their fields and destroying crops.

The department has kept a cage to trap a leopard, which was on the move in Mothepalayam, coming under Sirumugai forest range, following public outcry, they said. A similar situation prevails in Valparai in the district, where a leopard attacked a woman and boy a couple of days ago, after which the department kept the cage.